Head of Program Support – Hargeisa, Somaliland

JOB Vacancy Announcement

                                                      MSF – SOMALILAND

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, private, non-governmental, non-profit humanitarian organization. Our organization offers assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or manmade disasters, to victims of armed conflict, without discrimination irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation. MSF observes neutrality and impartiality in the name of universal medical ethics and the right to humanitarian assistance and demands full and unhindered freedom in the exercise of its functions.

Since January 2019, MSF is supporting the Ministry of Health Development for all the components of Drug Resistance Tuberculosis care in 4 TB centers (Borama, Hargeisa, Berbera and Burao). The aim is to reduce the morbidity, mortality and burden of Tuberculosis and more specifically Multiple Drug Resistant Tuberculosis.

Support to Las Anod General Hospital on secondary level health care

Access to most vulnerable population (IDPs, migrants)

Emergency response

·         To maintain active surveillance of the health situation in Somaliland with a focus on communicable diseases with potential outbreaks and other Public Health events

·         Maintain capacity for Emergency response to disease outbreaks and other public Health events with MSF scope of operations

Head of Program Support

Workplace                         :   Hargeisa with regular travel to regions

Type of contract               :  Short Term – Three Months Contract

Number of Positions       :  1

Start date                           :  01st Jan 2023

Main purpose of the position

• Supporting the Head of Program (HoP) in security and political context monitoring and contributing to the context analysis and follow-up of security management.
• Ensuring a smooth relation with local and national authorities, providing translations and interpretations according to MSF protocols, standards and procedures in order to facilitate the mission coordination tasks.
• Monitoring of political and security context in order to brief Head of Program (HoP) and Project Coordinators (PC) on aspects affecting MSF mission security and Operations.

Main responsibilities

• Assisting in context analysis, disseminating relevant context information to the coordination team, regularly informing them on key issues, updating general information on the context for MSF internal documents.
• Analysing the risks and the security level of the context of the mission and assisting in conducting risk assessments and in the development, security plans for the mission and project. Advising the PC and HoP on aspects of security management.
• Analysing the mission risk analysis and reduction strategy and reviewing the mission practices and tools for security analysis and management in line with MSF’s overall risk reduction strategy. Identifying current and potential vulnerabilities in the security Standard Operating Procedure (structural and managerial) their actual implementation, proposing and applying in agreement with the operational line management, necessary improvements.
• Reporting to the HoP on political and security developments that could affect MSF teams and operations.
• Establishing and maintaining external relationships with relevant authorities and stakeholders. Keeping good knowledge of counterparts in different administrations and departments and keeping up to date records of field contacts (other NGOs, UN agencies, local authorities, etc.) verifying that they are easily accessible, in order to facilitate contacts and meetings.
• At the request of the Head of Program, assisting or representing MSF in meetings (NGOs, official bodies and administrations, etc.) and preparing full report.
• Advising on cultural appropriateness of organized activities and individual behaviours. At the request of the HoP, preparing and conducting an information briefing, focusing on the country cultural context for International Regional and Relocated Staff.
• Translating sensitive documents and acting as an interpreter when needed. Writing letters and correspondences with officials and partners and preparing reports, internal memos and formal requests.